此項研究以中共的主要喉舌〈人民日報〉爲分析對象，將八七、 八九及九一年所有有關台灣及香港的報導作定量分析。結果發現，八 九年「六四事件」後，人民日報上有關台灣整體形象的負面報導增多 了，對台灣國民黨政府的報導則一直是負，面多於正面，而且在「六四 」後負面報導有增長之勢。較早前作者另一個同類研究顯示，人民曰 報對國民黨政府的負面報導在「六四」前夕已降至八十年代以來之最 低點（百分之十二）；但在九一年又回升至八十年代初期的水平（百 分之二十四）此發現顯示「六四」對海峽兩黨之關係構成負面影響。至於有關香港整體形象的報導上，不論「六四」前或「六四」後 ，大部份的報導都給予正面的形象。即使八九年「六四」後的下半年 ，大部份有關香港的報導都沒有顯示正面或負面的看法。這種手法可 視爲中共在「六四」後淡化鎮壓北京民運在香港造成的影響。

The study examined the media image of Taiwan and Hong Kong reported in the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, the People's Daily. It analysed all the reports on Taiwan and Hong Kong in the year of 1987, 1989 and 1991. The findings showed that the overall image of Taiwan had become more negative after the June-Fourth Incident in 1989. The report on Taiwan’s Koumintang government had been negative all the years, and it was more negative after the June-Fourth Incident. Compared with an earlier study done by this author, it was found that in the 1980s, the People's Daily gave the lowest amount of negative coverage of Taiwan government on the eve of June-Fourth Incident (12%). But the amount of negative reports in 1991 increased to the level of the early 1980s again (24%). This shows that the June-Fourth Incident had a negative effect on the relationship between the Chinese Communist Party and Kuomintang. As regards the image of Hong Kong, the majority of reports portrayed a positive image, no matter whether it was before or after the June-Fourth Incident. Even in the second half year of 1989, most of the reports on Hong Kong were attitude-free, neither negative or positive. The result can be interpreted as a calculated move by the Chinese communists to play down the impacts of the crackdown of the Beijing democratic movement on Hong Kong.